About two weeks ago, we reported that Motzko and another young passenger were killed in a car crash that also critically injured the much older driver. According to the Minnesota Star Tribune, the driver, 51-year-old James David Blue, was driving with a blood alcohol level of 0.175, which is more than double the legal limit of 0.08 in Minnesota, and the car was believed to be travelling at nearly 100 mph just before the fatal crash.
Mack is the son of current University of Minnesota Men's Hockey Head Coach Bob Motzko, so news of this tragedy spread quickly. The University of Minnesota Athletic Department issued a brief statement on Sunday morning expressing condolences and asking for privacy for the Motzko family.
Gophers athletic director Mark Coyle said the team is devastated for Bob and Shelley. "This is a terrible tragedy, and we will do everything we can to help. We ask for privacy for the bereaved families."
Despite the pandemic, Mack continued to develop his skills as a forward on the ice, playing 14 games with the Sioux Falls Stampede of the USHL, scoring two points (both assists), and 25 games with the New Mexico Ice Wolves of the NAHL, scoring four goals and four assists for eight points.
